To Rule The World
by Atlantean Pineapple
Summary: Kai is a boy with a dream: world domination. But even the best villains have to start small. If you can call Ouran Academy small. But it's hard to rule a school that already has a king- Tamaki Suoh. In that case, what's a guy to do but steal the crown?
1. The Plan

**Note: **There is a link to a picture of Kai at the bottom of my profile for anyone who is interested.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Ouran High School Host Club_.

**The Plan**

Two heads popped around the corner in the hallway, and a light giggle was stopped short by a hand covering a mouth.

'_Never a moment of peace. No matter. I won't have to worry about it for long.'_

Such were the thoughts of Kai Takara, future ruler of the world. He would start with Ouran Academy. After all, even the best villains had to start small. Relatively speaking, Ouran wasn't exactly small. He had the advantage of going to school with the children of some of the most influential families around. If he decided to take the school hostage, he would have more money than he could ever spend. But Kai didn't want money. He wanted respect, dignity, and free all-you-can-eat pie at any restaurant at any time!

As Kai was thinking over his motivation, he leaned against a wall, watching the younger boys skitter past his daunting form as he glared at their cowardly, trembling frames. As the stream of students slowed to what was barely a trickle, he knew he would have to hurry to make it to class on time. But that would ruin his reputation; Kai Takara was always late for class. Always.

Suddenly, his vision was filled with blonde. His classmate, Tamaki Suoh, was just a bit shorter than him, and had a strange tendency of talking to him. "Hello, Kai! How are you? Coming to class today?"

Kai raised a dark eyebrow, his expression less than amused, but he didn't speak.

Tamaki smiled. "OK, then, don't be late!" And off he went.

Kai rolled his eyes. Suoh was a strange breed. He remembered the first time that he had been approached by the overwhelmingly enthusiastic boy.

_-o-O-o-_

_Kai was sitting in the back of the class, letting the entire room know that he didn't care to be bothered. His thick, dark brown hair covered his ears and hung away from his head as he leaned back in his chair. The knees of his pants were coated in a dusting of dirt and his sleeves were rolled up just past his elbows. His frown was severe and his green eyes were disinterested, but when a pretty girl would pass, he would smirk and wink, causing said girl to blush and scamper away, sometimes giggling. _

"_Mr. Unapproachable. The Bad Boy. The Rogue. Oh! I like that one!" _

_Kai's attention was drawn to the desk in front of him, where a blonde boy sat facing him, his eyes wide and excited. _

_The front legs of the dark haired boy's chair crashed to the floor. A glare was already being aimed at the unknown. _

"_What are you going on about?" Kai growled in annoyance._

"_Oh, hello! I noticed you have a way with the ladies."_

"_You want lessons or something?" Kai snapped, hoping the boy would just go away._

_The blonde laughed. "No, no, actually, I was hoping to ask you about a club I'm forming. I want you to join. It's called a host club and I think you would be perfect for the…"_

"_Are you insane?"_

"…_roguish type. The handsome, brooding bad boy to complete the image of…"_

_The boy stopped when he was lifted from the desk by his collar. He looked down in confusion to see Kai's fist holding the cloth of his shirt. "Listen, I don't want anything to do with you or your club. But I'm a reasonable guy. I'm going to let you keep your pretty face with the excuse of temporary insanity on your part. Now beat it!"_

_Tamaki blinked, then smiled strangely, almost in understanding. He opened his mouth to say something, but the dull voice of the teacher interrupted what could only become an ugly argument. _

"_Mr. Takara, please put Mr. Suoh down. I'd like to start the lesson."_

_-o-O-o-_

Kai slammed his fist against the wall behind him in his frustration. What could've made that idiot believe he would have anything to do with a club like that? But then… then his sister had told him about it; that the blonde guy was called Tamaki Suoh and he had actually gotten away with forming his club. What really got to Kai was that it was so popular. His sister attended regularly, going to see the Suoh kid.

"He's so romantic, Kai! And so handsome!" she'd said on many occasions.

She was just like the rest of them. Tamaki Suoh was a sweet-talking phony with way too much time on his hands. Was he the only one who could see that? He ran a hand through his hair. As much as he hated to admit it, with the concoction of young men Suoh had thrown together, it was obvious to anyone with eyes…

The Ouran High School Host Club ruled the school.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

People turned in their seats when he entered his classroom. Suoh waved at him.

"Eyes forward, class," the teacher said, not bothering to acknowledge the late student. It was too much of a routine for him to bother.

Kai sat, and the rest of the students returned their attention to the lesson, leaving Kai to think in peace.

_I don't have forever to get this school under my control. And if I can't even conquer Ouran, what hope do I have? _

The words of his sister returned unbidden to his mind.

'_He's a king, Kai! He rules the school. It's amazing!'_

_Amazing. Ha. He's just a slick tongue with a pretty face. If I wanted to, I could… _

… _take over the host club. You have to get rid of the old king before a new one can take his place. Of course, why didn't I think of this before? All this time, I could have been…! But… this will be painful. Not only will I have to subject my pride to the whims of Suoh, but I'll actually have to do the job of a host. I'll have to handle this situation with intense care. Suoh may be an idiot, but Otori is also in the club. He'll wonder why I would dump my reputation down the drain to be a part of it. If it weren't absolutely necessary, I wouldn't get within a mile of that place. I've avoided it for so long, he'll wonder about my motives, but… This is my test, the ultimate challenge to see if I can truly handle my destiny as Ruler of the World!_

_I, Kai Takara, am going to join the host club._


	2. The Music Room

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Music Room**

Pride doesn't go down easy. It claws at your throat, trying its hardest to keep from being swallowed. Then, once it's finally forced to stay put, dread sets in with the knowledge of what has been set into motion, and air clogs the throat in the silence that always precedes the chaos.

That was the experience that awaited Kai Takara if he went through with his plan. He thought himself insane for willingly entering into such torture, but he had to keep an eye on the future. He had a purpose. This wouldn't last forever, and when it ended, he would be well on his way to achieving his ultimate goal.

The door to the third music room loomed over him. Gritting his teeth and banishing his pride to the depths of his stomach, he pushed the door open…

-o-O-o-

The host club (minus Honey and Mori) was nearly done setting up. It hadn't taken long, as they were simply wearing their uniforms this day. Tamaki had told them that he felt something big was going to happen, and this was how they could best be prepared.

"What do you think is gonna happen, boss?" Kaoru asked.

"You're acting kinda strange," Hikaru added.

"Super excited…"

"… or nervous…"

"… we can't tell which." At this point, the twins were speaking in unison, leaning over the seated "king" of the host club with matching inquiring expressions.

"Oh, I can't say for sure," Tamaki said with a sigh and a knowing smile. "I just have a good feeling about today!"

"I hope this doesn't have anything to do with…" Kyoya was cut off by the door opening, and the group put on their most lovely smiles.

When they saw who stood in their doorway, though, all of those smiles dropped, except for Tamaki's, which only grew. He jumped from his seat. "Kai!"

The young man they saw was wearing the same uniform they were, but it looked as though he was still working on getting it on. The white undershirt was left unbuttoned nearly down to where the blue jacket covered it, and the dark tie was draped around his neck like a towel. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing the slightly tan skin of his arms. His face was closed off, the only emotion showing being a slight disgust at his own actions. Or perhaps it was the friendliness with which Tamaki greeted him. He stood there looking awkward, something that didn't suit his imposing frame.

The first sound after the shock wore off was that of the twins laughing. "What is _he _doing here?" Hikaru gasped out between laughs.

"Maybe he came to see the boss!" Kaoru laughed. "Never would have guessed _that _was his big secret event!"

Kyoya pushed his glasses higher on his face, a frown overtaking his lips. _This is odd…_ "Hikaru! Kaoru! Stop that. If anything, Takara came to see you." He smirked as their faces morphed into disgust, their laughter stopping instantly.

Kai was glaring at all of them now. "I came to talk to Suoh, but if you'd rather I forget your request…" He turned to leave.

"No, wait!" Tamaki called, rushing to his side. A smirk flickered on and off of Kai's face in a blink. Tamaki grabbed his arm and led him farther into the room. Kai glared at the blonde until he released him with an apologetic smile. "Gentlemen, this is Kai Takara. I don't know if you know this, but back when I was doing the recruiting for this club, I asked him to join us."

"What do you know…" Hikaru started blandly.

"… even the _king _has to accept failure sometimes," Kaoru finished.

Tamaki looked scandalized. "Accept failure?"

Kai grunted. "He hasn't left me alone since."

As the implications of what all this meant sunk in, the attitude in the room became suddenly serious.

"Tamaki…" Kyoya said carefully, looking between the blonde and Kai.

"Boss, you aren't really going to make him a host, are you?" Kaoru asked.

"I mean, look at him. He's got no fashion sense," Hikaru said, sticking his nose in the air.

"And he's a little scary. He might hurt business, you know." Kaoru looked awkward, like he felt bad about saying it. That may have been because of the intense glare he was receiving from the newcomer, though.

"That's not a problem, only the boys are scared of him! He's the 'rogue' type! You'll see; he'll be perfect." Tamaki sighed, pride leaking into his voice. "At long last, we have the final piece of the picture."

Kyoya sighed. "Tamaki, I think we should talk about this…"

"Kyoya, I think you're right, but for now, I'm the king, right? And I want him here. Just give him a chance, see him in action, and if you still aren't impressed, then we'll talk about it." Tamaki winked at Kai. "But I think you _will _be impressed."

Kai pushed his hair back from his face. "So what exactly am I supposed to do?"

The twins grinned. "You know, boss…" Kaoru began.

"This might be fun, after all."

Just then, the doors opened once more, and the high, excited voice of Honey rang through the room.

"What will be fun?"


	3. The Job

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Job**

Honey and Mori had been quickly filled in on what was going on, and then it was into position, for the girls would be arriving any moment now. Kai had been instructed more than once to smile and he had steadfastly refused to do so until the girls arrived, simply to spite the situation.

Nothing could have prepared him for the onslaught of yellow that filled the room, or for the embarrassing introduction Tamaki gave him, or for the eagerness of a group of young ladies to sit with him.

'_They're all mad. Every last one of them is nuts!'_

However, on the outside, he became an instant hit. There wasn't a pale cheek within a ten foot radius of his gleaming smile and smooth compliments.

He winked. They giggled and blushed.

He smirked. They sighed and blushed.

He said, "You're a cute little thing, aren't you?" They nearly fainted in giggles and blushes.

"You're just saying that," the girl said.

"Not so, Sweetheart. If I could tell only one truth, I would choose to tell you of your loveliness."

"How romantic!" they cried.

Another girl touched his arm. "You're so strong, Kai! Do you play any sports?"

He shrugged slightly, moving his arm to rest on top of the couch behind the girl, barely brushing the back of her dress. "None of the coaches want me on their teams. My record isn't exactly sparkling, and I guess they thought I'd be a bad influence."

The girl's face turned bright red. "Then how do you stay so fit?"

Kai turned his face toward her, tilting his head down to meet her eyes. "Well, Sugar, the only motivation I need to keep up my image is that I will be regarded fondly by you ladies."

'Sugar' seemed to be hyperventilating, so he turned back to the others to let her calm down.

"I'd like you even if you weren't so handsome!" one of them cried.

'Sweetheart' drew nearer. "I'll let you be a bad influence on me!"

There was a chorus of agreement and Kai could practically see little pink hearts coming out of their ears. He tilted his head back and laughed, and they all sucked in their breath, gathered in a close circle around him. Kai looked at each of them in turn, smiling roguishly. "You flatter me, ladies. I don't deserve all this."

"Yes, you do!" Sugar cried.

"You really do, Kai!" added a pretty blonde girl who was standing in front of the couch he sat on.

"Thank you, Gorgeous." He took her hand in his and pressed it to his lips, looking up at her from under his lashes. The others squealed. "I'll remember that."

-o-O-o-

"It seems you chose well, Tamaki," Kyoya said a few days later, once all of the girls were gone. It was obvious he wasn't thrilled, and that he would rather Kai had crashed and burned, but Tamaki didn't take notice. He was too busy being proud of his new 'son.'

"I just knew he would be _perfect!" _Tamaki exclaimed with a grin.

"Well, he's certainly becoming popular with the ladies," Kyoya admitted reluctantly. Unable to contain it any longer, he asked, "You do realize he's probably just using you for some purpose?"

Tamaki's expression sobered. "Yes. But I think… he has a good heart. Whatever it is he wants to get out of this, it must be very important to him. And maybe, someday, we'll know what it is."

"It's probably nothing good, if you ask my opinion," Kyoya said with a sigh, touching his head with his hand. Tamaki and his "feelings" about people and his good will would only make an easy path for Kai Takara. This couldn't end well.

The look Tamaki gave him could almost be considered kind pity, and it surprised Kyoya, as so much that Tamaki did would. "It's my hope that maybe Kai will find that what he's after isn't as important as he thought it was."

With those last gentle words, Tamaki was off calling to the twins who were on either side of Takara, who looked half annoyed, half amused.

Kyoya pushed up his glasses. Maybe he was giving his classmate too much credit. Maybe he was jumping at shadows.

Kai, feeling he was being watched, looked up and met Kyoya's gaze. The new host smirked and narrowed his eyes.

_Then again, _Kyoya told himself, _it's always best to keep an eye on things. Or two eyes, in Takara's case._

-o-O-o-

In the days following, Kai found even more girls coming up to him or peeking around corners to catch his eye and then disappear. Why did they do that, anyway? He supposed they wanted him to be intrigued by their mystery, and thus pursue them. In any case, he was playing his part and nothing more.

"Kai… This is for you…" a shy girl with thick brown hair whispered as she stood before him, holding a note toward him. "My friend asked me to give it to you."

He smiled from his relaxed position and lazily reached out and took the note, making sure to grab it from the side she held so their hands had to touch. She quickly turned and hurried to her seat.

"Thanks, Beautiful!" he called after her, causing a few snickers from the boys and a few giggles and jealous sighs from the girls.

Kai almost stuck the note in his pocket to read later, but decided to ease the boredom of waiting for the teacher to come back into the classroom by amusing himself with some girl's false confession of love.

_Kai Takara,_

_I didn't know how to say this any other way, so I wrote you a poem._

Kai stopped there a moment. Maybe he should rethink this. Poetry? Perhaps he really should put it in his pocket… to burn when he got home. And yet, now he was curious.

_Your eyes are greener than jade_

_I've never seen such a shade_

Oh no. Kai glanced up at the girl who had handed him the note. He had assumed the 'friend' she told him about was really her, but she didn't seem concerned at all that he may be reading the poem. She didn't even turn to see the horrified look on his face. Maybe it really was from a friend.

_Your hair is so grand_

_I want to hold your hand_

If that girl had written this, she was cruel. Even if she hadn't written it, it was still cruel!

_Your lips would be so sweet_

_Even perfect are your feet_

Now even Kai felt he must be blushing, and was very thankful that no one seemed to be paying any attention to him. Then he saw Tamaki looking at him curiously as he walked by. Kai flattened his hand on the desk, hiding the paper from view.

Leaning against the desk in front of Kai, the blonde asked, "What's that? I think your cheeks are a little pink."

Kai glared. "You don't want to know."

This only seemed to make Tamaki more curious. His eyes became wide and he leaned closer. "Yes I do."

"Believe me. You don't."

Kai was saved when the teacher turned from where he had been writing something on the board in front of the class. "Alright, back to your seats, now."

When Suoh was gone and the teacher had started talking again, Kai ventured one last look at the note.

_I wish you would be my love_

_Your hand fits mine like a glove_

_I'll give in to insanity_

_If you again I never did see_

_So please be mine, from ears to toes_

_I don't care if anybody knows._

_-Makana H._

She was _already _insane. Whoever had written this was completely nuts. Was she seriously offering to have a secret relationship with him to protect his reputation? And more importantly, had she really just complemented his feet in a poem? Kai quickly folded up the paper and slid it into his pocket. He hadn't thought he'd signed up for crazed, poetry-writing stalkers who used their friends to do their legwork.

He didn't know who this Makana was, so he wouldn't have to do anything about it just yet. He hoped he would never have to do anything about it.

_What a day..._


	4. The Two Homes

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Two Homes**

When he got home, Kai was greeted by emptiness. For a moment, that is. As he removed his shoes, he heard hurried footsteps and then two arms wrapped around his neck in what he assumed was supposed to be a loving gesture. He stiffened and looked down at his sister, who was looking for something over his shoulder.

"Please get off me," Kai said coldly.

The girl did so without hesitation once she realized no one else was with her brother. "I thought I asked you to bring your new friends over," she said, annoyed.

"And I thought I told you that if I had any new friends, I would. But I don't."

The girl's eyes narrowed. "You're part of the host club."

Kai walked past her. "Yeah. Doesn't mean I'm friends with them."

He heard a frustrated shriek behind him. "You're such an idiot, Kai! You finally stop being so shameful and you aren't even decent enough to do one thing for your only sister!"

Kai clenched his teeth and kept walking calmly to the stairs.

"Are you ignoring me?"

He didn't answer. When he reached the bottom of the staircase and started up, he felt a pillow fly into his back.

"You're such a jerk, Kai. I wish you weren't my brother."

-o-O-o-

After finally reaching his room, despite the occasional pillow being thrown at his back and head, he shut his door and collapsed onto his bed. It was almost more tiring being at home than being at the host club. But this he was used to, at least, so it didn't seem so terrible.

Then he heard a door slam from the opposite direction of his sister's rant. Sighing, he reached under his bed to find the envelope of cash he kept there. He had a feeling this was going to be one of those nights.

-o-O-o-

He was right, of course.

His mother had come out of her room to see what her daughter was going on about, only to find that her socially challenged son was to blame for both the noise and the great despair of her only little girl. It was when he had heard them talking about coming up to get things straight that he got up and locked his door.

The banging and demands that he open that door at that moment would only last until his father got home. They wouldn't stop until then, so he put his headphones in his ears and turned up the volume. They were smart, he supposed. And determined. They could give into their tiredness of voice and fist and leave him be until later, but then his father wouldn't be in a suitably enraged mood from once again entering his home to chaos with his son at the root of it.

-o-O-o-

Kai rubbed his jaw. '_Well, that'll bruise. Suoh won't leave it alone tomorrow.'_

The young man was walking through the dark streets. The path was familiar to him, as he had traveled it many times before. His destination was a small restaurant, the kind that was family owned and could be traced back generations. The man behind the counter called something into the kitchen before walking toward Kai, who had unceremoniously flopped into the first seat he had come across.

"Again, boy?"

Kai smiled slightly, but it only brought on a grimace as his jaw popped. "You say that every time, but the room's always waiting."

The man smiled warmly. "Well, what can I say. We like you."

Kai reached into his back pocket and pulled out some money. "I'm guessing that was my order you just put in?"

The man nodded and took what he was given. He would have gladly given the boy what he wanted for free, but Kai insisted on paying. "You're a good man, Mr. Kaneshiro. That seems to be a dying breed, so I won't take from you without payment," he had told him when the owner, Kaneshiro, had offered. Kai liked to act like the bad guy, but Kaneshiro thought he was growing into a good man as well.

Mr. Kaneshiro walked away to put the money in its place before coming back with a large, hot slice of pie.

Kai smiled and ate.

-o-O-o-

There was a basement in the restaurant that wasn't used for anything before Kai had come into their lives, and so a makeshift sanctuary had been made for the young man there. There was a small bed he had almost outgrown, a chair that was losing its plumpness, a small mirror on a tilting stand by the bed, and a punching bag hanging from the ceiling. It wasn't what he had at home, but that's why he liked it. A poor man's room and some nice people were far better than a rich man's room with an explosion waiting to go off outside the door.

So there was where Kai slept that night, and there was where Kai woke up in the morning to Mr. Kaneshiro stomping on the hatch in the ceiling above the stairs.

"Kai! You have a visitor!"

_What? _Who could be looking for him here? He knew Mr. Kaneshiro wouldn't be showing his parents down here- they wouldn't have come anyway. They were used their rebellious son's disappearing act.

"Tell 'em to come in." He stood in his confusion, running a hand through his thoroughly tousled hair, and waited.

First step: black dress shoes.

Second step through third step: black slacks.

Fourth step: Part of a blue blazer.

Kai stood in complete bewilderment as Tamaki Suoh stood in the basement of his hideout, smiling in his usual manner, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.

"Good morning, Kai! You won't believe how hard it was to track you down…" He stopped, his eyes locked on Kai's jaw. "What happened to your face?"


	5. The Scar

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Scar**

Kai smiled bitterly. "Not pretty enough for your club anymore, Suoh?" He didn't know why he was so harsh toward the boy. Maybe because he had been caught being the less-than-perfect person that he usually kept under wraps.

Tamaki looked truly hurt by the comment, but he brushed it aside. Assuming his most demanding, kingly voice, he repeated, "Takara, _what happened to your face?"_

Kai shrugged and turned toward the punching bag, taking a swing at it as if it had wronged him somehow. "I would have thought that was obvious." It had been partly his fault, of course. He had a sharp tongue and the kind of wit that could be taken the wrong way under the wrong circumstances. While it charmed the girls at school, it made his father think he was being nothing but a selfish, disrespectful teenager. It didn't help that the facts provided by his mother and sister were distorted to incriminate him and full of holes.

Tamaki sighed, his voice slipping into a slight whine. "You're not being very helpful, K…"

"And what business is it of yours?" Kai snapped, whirling around to face his 'guest.' Couldn't the idiot see that he didn't want his friendship? Couldn't he tell that they weren't close, and he had no right to pry into his personal life?

Tamaki took half a step back. After staring at him for what felt like forever, he smiled that idiotic understanding smile of his. "It is my business because I care about all of the peasants who serve under me!" he declared.

Kai stared in amazement for a moment before shouting, "Get out! Don't I have to deal with you enough at school?"

Tamaki laughed and pushed up the hatch. "Captain on deck, all hands prepare to set sail!" he called as he disappeared. Kai could hear Mr. Kaneshiro chuckling just before the hatch fell back into place.

Kai let out a low growl and took another swing at the punching bag. _You won't be ruling anything much longer, Suoh._

And yet, he felt something stir within that whispered that maybe, just maybe, he was happy someone cared enough to invade his privacy. He would never admit it, though.

-o-O-o-

When Kai entered the host club that afternoon, his glare wasn't quite as hard as usual when Tamaki sprang forward to greet him.

The group didn't say anything about his new bruise, and he supposed he had Tamaki to thank for that. Why did that boy have to be so nice? Didn't he know he was supposed to be his enemy?

Honey was twitching with the desire to fly to Kai and hug him, but Mori was keeping the small boy in check. The tall, dark young man knew Kai wouldn't appreciate Honey's affections.

Not long after he arrived, the girls started coming in. Kai sat at his designated area and waited.

"Kai! What happened?" Sugar cried.

"Oh no! Does it hurt?" Sweetheart gasped.

"Are you alright?" asked Gorgeous.

Kai smirked a little. "I'm fine. It's just a bruise."

"But… but…" added a black-haired girl he called Darling. She didn't seem too bright, if a little… overambitious. "That's terrible!" She reached a hand toward his face, but stopped herself from actually making contact.

Kai chuckled. "You should see the other guys."

They all sighed, most likely daydreaming about him fighting off a mob of men shirtless.

"Tell us what happened, Kai!"

Through the sea of concerned faces, he saw a shy, brown-haired girl with her hands clasped together on her lap, her eyes staring at her fingers as if she could think of nothing more interesting. Kai smirked for a moment, recognizing her as Beautiful, the bad-poetry deliverer. It seemed odd that she was here when she was obviously so disinterested and uncomfortable. But quickly, he turned his attention back to the others.

"I was taking a late walk last night, and I came across some thugs surrounding a little girl. Looked like they were going to kidnap her or something. Couldn't let that happen, could I?"

They sucked in their breath, and he didn't hear it come back out.

"Obviously, I had to protect her. Lucky for me, they didn't seem to have had much practice. They only landed one punch on me. The kid lived close by, so I walked her home. She was really shaken up. Had a few words with her father."

"Aww!" The giant squeal of approval rose up in a wave, washing over him and leaving his ears begging for mercy.

"Oh, it looks so painful, Kai!"

"Don't worry about me, Gorgeous. Your company makes the pain go away."

"I'm so glad," Gorgeous sighed.

"Do I help, Kai?" asked Darling.

Kai brushed a strand of hair out of the girl's face. "Your presence eases the pain in my jaw, but the pain in my heart doubles with the grief of knowing we'll have to part ways soon."

Darling blushed and struggled for words that never seemed to come.

On the other side of the room, Kaoru and Hikaru were talking to Tamaki.

"I think that's cheating, boss," Kaoru said.

"Yeah. Girls can't help but dote on injured boys."

Tamaki shrugged. "A host knows how to use every aspect of their being to bring happiness. For Kai, today that bruise just happens to be part of his being."

"That doesn't sound right, boss," Hikaru snickered.

"And I don't know that he's bringing 'happiness.'"

"Of course he is! Girl's tender hearts love to have someone to care for!"

"I honestly don't think he cares," said Hikaru.

"I don't get why he's even here. I mean, Kyoya will keep him as long as he's making money, but really, boss, what do we know about him? It's kind of obvious he hates it here," Kaoru said.

Tamaki blinked in surprise. "You think so?"

-o-O-o-

Days and weeks passed, and Kai continued his journey in the land of music room number three. And no matter how well he did in that time, he still had not gained the trust of one Kyoya Otori. Another thing he hadn't done was dress in costume.

The second part was about to change.

Why they had to dress like men from the future, Kai would never understand. But Tamaki had wished it, so it would be done.

"Suoh…" Kai started, his back to the group of guys as he switched shirts. "What _is _this?"

"Don't say you hate it, Kai, it'll make daddy very upset," Tamaki lamented dramatically.

"Excuse me?" Kai growled.

The twins stepped over. "Ignore him. He likes to think of himself as a father figure."

Kai looked annoyed, but decided to keep his mouth shut about that subject for the moment. "It doesn't even fit, you idiot!"

Tamaki laughed. "Silly Kai, it's supposed to be open like that," he said, grasping the larger boy's shoulder to spin him around.

Kai resisted the tug. "Why am I the only one?"

"Because it fits your image," Kaoru said.

"Why, are you_… shy_?" Hikaru prodded, grinning impishly.

"I won't wear this, Suoh," Kai said stiffly.

"But…" Tamaki began, his face dropping. "…why?"

Finally, Kai spun around. The futuristic silver vest didn't show more than a two-inch strip of skin down the front, but it was enough to let them see why he was so unwavering in his determination not to wear the costume.

An ugly scar marred the skin of his abdomen in one spot. It looked suspiciously like what would come from a bullet wound.

"Oooooh," the twins said, as if they had uncovered a great secret. "What did you do?"

Kai opened his mouth, furious, but was distracted by seeing Tamaki whispering to Mori. The tall young man nodded.

-o-O-o-

Mori and Kai had switched costume tops at Tamaki's request, and the rest of the time had gone by quickly. While this usually would have been a relief for Kai, he had the feeling that the hosts weren't going to let him get away without pestering him for a story to go with his scar.

He was correct.

"So what happened, Takara?" Hikaru questioned, leaning an elbow on Kai's shoulder.

"Did you get in trouble with the law?" Kaoru asked, leaning on the other side.

"Why would someone shoot you?" Hikaru continued.

"People are cruel, untrustworthy creatures! They enjoy causing pain," Kai snapped, slinging his bag over his shoulder roughly.

"Hey, man, don't go crazy, we were only asking," Hikaru said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Yah, we totally get that," Kaoru added, imitating the action.

Kai shook his head and shoved his anger aside, stalking to the door. He heard one pair of footsteps behind him. He stopped an inch from the door, waiting for the person to speak.

"What really happened, Kai?" It was Tamaki. He spoke softly and kindly, unlike the twins, who spoke as if looking for something to blackmail him with.

Kai turned his head just enough to see that the blonde boy was the only one close enough to hear.

"Someone was angry with a doctor." His voice was soft. "He had a gun, and tried to shoot a little girl." No sooner was the last word out of Kai's mouth than the door was open and he was gone.


	6. The Loved One

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Loved One**

Tamaki was confused by Kai. As a people person and the king of the host club, he was very happy that he had a gift of knowing what people want. He knew what Kyoya wanted from life. He knew what the twins wanted from people. He knew what Honey and Mori wanted from themselves. But what did Kai want? He couldn't quite place it, and it was gnawing at him.

When he had first seen him, back when the host club was nothing but a dream, he thought that what Kai Takara wanted was to belong. But now it seemed he didn't mind being alone. There was just something strange about it all, like what he wanted was so strange that it was avoiding even Tamaki's mind…

And then there was the vague explanation of his scar. From what Tamaki could get from it, it sounded like Kai had tried to protect the girl, getting himself shot in the process. This definitively confirmed Tamaki's suspicions that a good guy hid somewhere beneath Kai's tough, smirking exterior.

-o-O-o-

Kai sat silently as he ate. For a long time, the entire room was silent. It was one of those rare occasions when Mr. Takara had come home to relative peace in his home, and he didn't want to disrupt it. However, the quietness was not to last.

"Kai, I hear you've joined a club at school."

Kai nodded, not really wanting to talk about it. He could only imagine his parent's reactions if they found out the exact nature of this club. "It's led by Tamaki Suoh and Kyoya Otori," he said shortly, tossing out the powerful names to distract them from any questions.

His sister made a "humph" sound and said, "I'm surprised they let someone like you in the door."

Mr. Takara sent her a silencing look. He'd had just about enough of the girl's meanness toward her brother. Kai wasn't the most likeable young man, and he was going through a rebellious stage, but he was still his son, and despite it all, he loved him. It was just so hard to look at him and not remember…

-o-O-o-

"I was thinking of getting a job here, Mr. Kaneshiro," Kai said with a slight smile.

"Oh really? And who said I would hire you?"

Kai chuckled. "Because you love me too much to say no," he chuckled.

Mr. Kaneshiro looked at him strangely for a moment, a smile softening his aging features. But the moment was soon gone, and he laughed as well. "True enough, I suppose. Tell you what, if I ever need a new worker, I'll keep you in mind."

Kai stood up and stretched. He had left home under far less hostile circumstances this time, but he just felt more comfortable at the workplace of Mr. Kaneshiro. "I think I'm going to head to bed."

"Alright, Kai. Sleep well so you can keep up those great grades I like to brag about."

Kai smiled. "Yes, sir."

-o-O-o-

No one would quite say that Kai Takara had many friends, but neither would they say he was disliked. He was a loner, and yet strangely likeable. The younger boys were afraid of him, but most of the older ones knew that, in most cases, his bark was worse than his bite. Some people would talk to him, and he was quiet and a little detached, but funny and laid-back if not provoked. He made a rough image to look at, but it was easy to see he wasn't bad if one bothered to look. Of course, they never guessed what it was he was thinking about when only part of his mind was focused on them.

"Hey, Takara!"

Kai turned in the direction of the voice and raised an eyebrow. A boy with messy black hair jogged up to him, and soon after, two other boys walked up, one blonde and another with short black hair.

"Heard you joined up with Suoh's lot. That true?" asked the blonde boy.

Kai smiled grimly. "So it would seem."

The guys laughed. "Right on, man. Those guys get all the girls," the one with the messy hair said.

"The job certainly has its perks."

The one with short, spiky black hair asked, "You got a girlfriend yet, Kai?"

Kai shrugged. "No." Kai was particularly wrapped up in his thoughts today, and the other students could tell, so with a short, "Seeya later, man," they took off toward class.

Kai hadn't heard from Suoh since the end of club duties the afternoon before, and while that was neither odd nor worrisome, he wasn't sure what Suoh had said to the other hosts or how the blonde would react. He wasn't too worried; it wasn't a big deal. It just wasn't something he was fond of reliving, so he'd have to ditch if any of the hosts pried too much.

In any case, his plan seemed to be working well. Through the host club, he was able to come into contact with quite a few more daughters of powerful men and women than he would otherwise, and the nature of the club allowed him to become quick acquaintances. It was amazing what a few pretty words could do.

-o-O-o-

Hikaru turned his back when Kai walked in, and Kaoru looked nothing short of careless. Apparently, Hikaru had decided to ignore Kai. Apparently, Hikaru thought Kai would actually care if the angrier twin ignored him.

Kyoya told the hosts that their conspicuously missing leader would be a few minutes late. Kai wondered what could be so important that he would put it above the host club. It seemed as if Suoh wouldn't want to be anywhere else if he had the choice.

Somewhere along the line, Kai realized he was starting to see Suoh as less and less of a phony and more for what he was- the most genuine guy he had ever seen. He decided that this didn't mean he liked the guy, but it made him less obnoxious somehow. Less of a worry. Less of a threat.

Kai hadn't become much closer to Honey or Mori than he had before joining the club, but there was that strange, unspoken bond that forms between two tall, quiet people; more of an acknowledgement of respect than anything else.

Tamaki appeared not too long after Kai had sat down and pulled out a book to read. There was something in his eyes when he looked at Kai that "the rogue" didn't like. It was a mix of pity and understanding. What was he thinking?

-o-O-o-

A shy girl with thick brown hair saw Kai leave the club quickly. She had stayed after class for other reasons, and it seemed she was just in time to walk the halls free of love struck girls. She watched his back as he moved quickly, saw how tense he was. She imagined she could see frustration radiating off of him. He had changed, and yet he hadn't. She wondered if he would remember her… She scolded herself for that thought. There was no way he could ever forget. He just didn't know her face after all these years.

-o-O-o-

"Hello, Kai. It's been a while since I saw you last."

"I've been busy," Kai said vaguely.

"With what?"

"School."

"Your grades are still excellent, I presume?"

Kai nodded.

"I hear you joined a club at school. What is it?"

"Just something to pass the time. A guy in my class wouldn't stop bugging me to join."

"Well, what do you do?"

"I… talk," Kai said uncertainly. He hated it here.

"So it's a public speaking club?"

Kai smirked slightly. "Something like that."

The man who had been questioning him sighed. "Do you enjoy this club?"

Kai shrugged. "More than I thought I would."

"How are things going at home, then? Are you still having problems with your sister?"

"Yes."

"I'm sure that's painful for you. Are you still running off to your friend's house whenever you get overwhelmed?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel safe there?"

"Of course I do. I wouldn't go there if I didn't."

"And what about your dreams, Kai? Are you still planning on taking over the world?"

Kai glared at the man. "Can I go now, Dr. Koga?"

"We still have fifteen minutes left of our session, Kai. Your parents would be very disappointed if we didn't finish."


	7. The Girl

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Girl**

Kai hated being talked to like he was an idiot, and that seemed to be Dr. Koga's specialty. His parents had put him in therapy soon after the 'accident,' as they called it. As a child, Kai hadn't realized that matters of world domination had to be kept completely secret until one was on top. Every time he met with Dr. Koga, he regretted his youthful slip. He tried denying it once, but the man seemed to see through it.

It was quite clear to Kai that the therapy wasn't helping. If anything, it only made things worse. Something about the room and the atmosphere and the man made him want to be as unhelpful as possible. It also made him nervous, and Kai didn't much like that feeling.

Not to mention that if anyone outside of his family knew about the therapy or his questionable mental state, everything would fall apart. Not even Mr. Kaneshiro knew about the sessions.

Kai dressed slowly and headed out. He wasn't in uniform. He didn't have school. Today was a day for some serious thinking and planning, which also meant a serious battle with the punching bag at Kaneshiro's.

-o-O-o-

It was a while before he saw Beautiful again in the host club. Of course, he would wink at her or brush her shoulder if he saw her in class or walking through the halls, but she just continued to laugh. Not giggle or blush, but laugh from true amusement. What was he, a comedian?

Strangely enough, he was pleased to find that she didn't take the ridiculous words he came up with seriously. Usually, it would annoy him, but he felt she wasn't making fun of him, simply his words. In all honesty, he would make fun of his words, too.

So when she came back to the host club, looking just as lost and uncomfortable as before, he felt as if there was at least one person there who felt just as out of place as him.

When club activities ended, Kai slipped from the music room as soon as the girls were out, hoping to catch Beautiful on her way out of the school. Luckily for him, she seemed to be the last one in the hall, walking slowly as if she had nowhere to go.

"Hey, Beautiful!" he called, jogging up to her.

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "My name's Akani."

"Pretty name," he said with the smirk he used in the club. It would never go away when he left, and it was appearing more often outside of the music room.

"Aren't you supposed to say, 'That's a pretty name for a pretty girl,' or something?" she asked with a soft smile. Her words were quiet, but not weak.

Kai shrugged. "I got the impression you didn't like me flirting with you."

Akani laughed. "That doesn't mean you should stop."

Kai grinned despite himself. "As you wish, milady." _What am I doing? _he asked himself.

"Kai…" the girl started, her voice faltering.

"Yeah?"

"I know you don't recognize me after all this time… But…"

Kai waited, losing a little patience.

"… My name is Akani Segawa."

Kai stopped dead in his tracks. "Segawa. As in… Dr. Segawa?"

The girl nodded. "We just moved back. I didn't realize you were attending this school, and then when I saw you… I wasn't sure, but there was something about you. So I asked my father, and he said you were the one."

Kai didn't respond for a moment. Finally, pale-faced and tense, he said, "I have to go."

"Kai, please, I know you don't know me, but I'd really like to get to know you. You saved my life, and even if you hadn't…"

Kai turned. "I have to go."

There was no stopping him.

-o-O-o-

He felt a drop of sweat trail down his forehead and past his eye, giving him the strange sensation of tears without crying. It wasn't the first drop to make that journey, either. In fact, he didn't know if any visible skin didn't glisten with the salty perspiration. The neck of his gray shirt was beginning to darken with the wetness. Both of the sleeves were ripped off, and the muscles in his arms bunched and stretched with each punch.

He was in his makeshift bedroom beneath the restaurant. He hadn't bothered to go home at all, nor had he bothered to get a piece of pie, and Mr. Kaneshiro waved him right by and into the room. Kai told himself it was just because the old man didn't want him disturbing his customers, but he knew that was neither fair nor true. This was his livelihood, and Kai wouldn't have wanted him up there in this foul mood had he owned the store. And besides that, Mr. Kaneshiro was worried about him, as was Mrs. Kaneshiro, whom he had seen peeking out of the kitchen. He hit harder in his shame, and harder still in his confusion.

Why did it get to him? Yes, she was associated with a painful experience, but he never blamed her. Maybe it was the feeling that she had been planning this all along. That she had known who he was and hadn't told him until now. He couldn't count the times he asked his parents if he could meet the girl he'd taken a bullet for. After the first few years of being told no, he stopped asking, and started making plans of his own. He never understood why they wouldn't let him meet her. He guessed they were just worried, too, in their strange way.

Everyone was worried about him. His parents were worried about him, Mr. Kaneshiro and his wife were worried about him, his therapist was worried about him, and even Suoh was worried about him! Why? Why did they all worry so much? He didn't do anything they were afraid he would do in response to his near-death experience. Yes, he was wary of people and didn't get close to them easily, but that wasn't anything to cause this much concern. He didn't want people to worry about him.

There was nothing wrong.


	8. The Thinking Days

**Note: **Thank you for reading this story! It's coming to a close, with only 2 chapters left, and I'd like to thank _SpikeyGirl_ for her review.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Thinking Days**

Kai's sleep was not peaceful. He woke up multiple times in the night, the memories chasing after him every moment, replaying themselves in his head.

_The people were gathered to celebrate Dr. Segawa, a man who was taking the medical world by storm. I had been a kid then, only seven years old, so I hadn't thought much about what the party was for, only that it was boring and my parents wouldn't let me find some other kids to play with. I was beginning to think there weren't any other kids there. _

_But I was wrong, and I found that out the hard way. _

_There had been security, but that hadn't stopped the man. It was all very quiet in the beginning. I saw a little girl, about my age, maybe a year younger. I watched her as she held on to the doctor's jacket. She must be his daughter. My parents were just heading in their direction when the man walked up to Dr. Segawa. He seemed serious, but not violent. I kept walking toward the three people. It wasn't until I was only a few feet from the girl that I realized my parents had stopped. I didn't care. I had found a kid, even if it was a girl. _

_Everything after that was very distinct. _

_Dr. Segawa looked angry, and so did the man. As the stranger turned and walked by, he shoved his hand into his pocket. I saw his eyes lock on the little girl, and I felt myself take another few steps toward her. His eyes frightened me. _

_The man stopped his retreat at a safe enough distance. I took another step._

_The man turned back toward the doctor. "I hope you feel the same pain I do." _

_Another step. Silence. The man pulled something black from his pocket._

_Three steps, quickly. The angry man pointed the black thing at the girl I had wanted to befriend._

_I didn't think. I didn't know what made me take that running leap in front of her, but I knew I had to do something. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I knew the man's eyes were cruel when they looked at her. Moments later, I wasn't wondering what had happened to me. I barely felt the pain before I was unconscious._

Kai's eyes flew open. That was when it had all fallen apart. He would never regret what he did, though. It opened his eyes, and he didn't think he could have lived with himself if he hadn't done anything. When he woke up in the hospital, he was terrified and in pain. Only his sister was there, left to watch her little brother while her parents were at work, wondering if he was going to die. Kai had figured out that that was why she felt so much bitterness toward him. He didn't blame her, he just wished she realized there was nothing he could have done to change it. She saw him awake and called him an idiot, then called the doctor. Kai wasn't pleased to see Dr. Segawa.

His parents, he knew, had also been affected by his thoughtless action. Kai knew they were afraid, and that was why they weren't there. They were cowardly, but they didn't hate him. He knew it hit them hard that they could have lost him, and sometimes he thought they blamed him for their pain. So they distanced themselves, and they lost him anyway. He didn't blame them. They were only trying to protect themselves. It was an instinct. He just wished they realized they could be stronger than that.

Still, he didn't regret jumping in front of that girl. Maybe the reason he had done it was because he could take everything that came with it, and she couldn't. Maybe she would have died. Maybe he had to have the strength that she didn't have. Either way, he never saw her again. He didn't blame her, either.

The one person he did blame was the man who had pulled the trigger. That man had pulled the trigger on the gun, and more than a bullet was set into motion. If Kai looked for the place everything started to morph into the strange half-reality he lived in, it was the moment the lead pierced his skin. He acknowledged his plans for world domination were strange, and highly unlikely, but for some reason, he couldn't dislodge the thought that it was still going to happen. He couldn't get rid of it.

And suddenly, desperately, Kai wanted to forget it.

-o-O-o-

"Hey, we saw your brother in the host club, Saya!"

Kai's sister, Saya, was sitting in her room on a comfortable chair. Her two best friends were also in the room, relaxed on various peices of furniture. "Yah. It's weird."

"I guess," said one girl. "I never would have expected it, anyway. He's always so quiet when we see him at your house."

"But he's so cute!" exclaimed the one who had spoken first.

Saya made a face. "Ew. Don't forget this is my brother we're talking about."

"I know. And that's the only reason I don't go and sit with him. See how loyal I am?"

"Stop it, Himeko, you're creeping me out!" Saya said, trying not to laugh.

"What? Do you think Sakura would be a better match?"

Saya pushed Himeko teasingly. "You two are off limits to my brother."

Sakura looked between Saya and Himeko. "I don't know that it's your brother you have to worry about."

Himeko's expression became curious. "Where is Kai, anyway?"

Saya shrugged. She couldn't tell them where he was. It was yet another part of her life she had to sacrifice for Kai. She had to be careful of what she said to her friends.

-o-O-o-

"It's given you purpose for most of your life, Kai. You were so shocked by those traumatic events that you had to find something that you could do to _fix _it. You blamed the man, and as you grew, you blamed the rest of the world. Your fear made you distrust everyone, made you believe that everyone was just as bad as him. I'm right, aren't I, Kai?"

Kai's eyebrows were drawn together and his jaw was clenched. He felt like his insides were shaking. He had told his parents to make an early appointment with Dr. Koga. The desperation to be rid of his thoughts and desires hadn't gone away, and he hadn't slept.

"So because the world was now trying to harm you and everyone you care for, you had to control it, so you could stop it. It is a defense mechanism, something our minds do to keep us feeling safe. I think, for you, it was also to give yourself strength; to keep you from feeling the pain that comes with all that you experienced. Your mind was helping you hide from the pain."

Kai stood suddenly. "I don't want to hate them for what they've done to me."

"Then don't. You can let go of this and still not hate them." Dr. Koga leaned forward, his eyes and voice more serious than Kai had ever heard them. "I've been waiting for this day, Kai. This is where you have to choose if the pain of life is worth the happiness. This is where you choose what is more important: being safe from pain, or living."

-o-O-o-

Kai didn't go to school for a week. He didn't go to Mr. Kaneshiro's either. He didn't go anywhere. He hardly ate, and he hardly slept. He lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Despite his immobility, he did accomplish quite a bit.

His first accomplishment came when his sister walked into the room, her arms crossed and her expression annoyed. "Hey, you're starting to get on my nerves. Stop moping around and get off the couch. You aren't the only one who lives here, and I'm tired of seeing your depressed face. It's bringing me down."

Kai didn't look at her. He just continued to stare at the ceiling. "I don't blame you for hating me."

He turned his head just in time to see the flash of surprise and uncertainty on her face. He guessed she just thought he was trying to get attention.

"Um… I just want you to get up. Go see your friend or something."

Kai met her eyes. "I'm not talking about laying here."

"Oh." With that, she sat down, head angled toward the floor. He thought he could see tears pricking at her eyes. "Well, what is it?"

Kai smiled slightly. "These past three days, I've been thinking. And at first, I was angry with you. You know I didn't do anything wrong by jumping in front of that girl. And I guess you didn't really hate me. But you were bitter. You hated that you had to watch me all the time. I stole your life, and I didn't even realize it."

"Yah, well, you didn't realize a lot of things, Kai. Do you even know what it felt like to sit in that hospital? Do you _realize _how much you hurt everyone when you started acting this way? Why are you so stupid?" By the end, she was yelling.

"I do understand how you felt... but have you ever thought about me?"

His sister avoided the question. "Do you even care about us anymore?"

"If I didn't, would we be having this conversation?"

The girl sighed. "We used to get along so well, Kai. How did it get this bad? Where did I screw up?"

"It might help if you tell me about it."

The young woman across from him seemed very sad, and very confused at the same time. Where was all this coming from? Kai hadn't spoken to her like this since before the accident… The girl mentally slapped herself. She was starting to sound like her parents. It hadn't been an accident. What he had done was an unappreciated act of bravery. She had thought that at first, but it was soon drowned out by her own problems. She stopped caring. "I was scared, Kai. We all thought we were going to lose you, and I was all alone. And because you were the one in front of me, you were easy to blame."

"I know. That's why I've forgiven you."

Her eyes lifted to his, and a tear fell out of its place in her eye. Kai was surprised when she flew at him and hugged him, crying silently. "I missed you so much!"

Kai just smiled slightly and patted her awkwardly on the back with one hand. _Why is she crying? I thought she was happy… Must be a girl thing._

But Kai was happy, too. They weren't going to be perfect siblings; they still had a lot of ground to cover. But now they understood each other, and they could start to heal.

That had been on the third day. On the fourth day, someone had come to the door. Kai still didn't move from the couch, and his sister answered the door.

Tamaki stood there, a concerned look on his face. "Hello, Kai hasn't been to school for a while, and I was getting worried. Is he alright?"

The girl smiled at him. Had this happened four days ago, she would have invited him in immediately and tried to manipulate his time so he would be with her instead of Kai. But this day she said, "Thank you for asking. He's here, he's just been a little out of it. I'll let him know you stopped by, but I think he needs some rest. Maybe you could come back another time, when he's feeling better."

Tamaki nodded. "Yes, princess, I'll do that. Thank you for setting my mind at ease."

Even outside of the host club, Tamaki had a way with his words…

On the fifth day, Kai was sitting up and talking to her. Finally, she asked a question that had been bothering her.

"Kai, where did this all come from? What happened?"

Kai looked thoughtful. "At school, I met this girl… Later, I found her name was Akani… Akani Segawa."

"The one…?"

"Yeah."

-o-O-o-

Once the weekend passed, Kai went back to school. On his way, he stopped in to see Mr. Kaneshiro and let the man know that he was alright, and he would explain more after school. Something in the boy's face made Mr. Kaneshiro smile.

Kai still didn't make it to class on time, though that was partly due to how many times he was stopped so someone he hardly knew could ask him what had happened to cause him to be gone so long. Kai just told them he had been sick, which was, in its own way, the truth.

Finally, he heard a voice he actually recognized. "Hey! Kai! You're back!"

The force that slammed into his side unbalanced him and nearly knocked him off his feet. The blonde blur was enough to tell him who it was. Kai pried Tamaki off and moved him a safe distance away, but he still looked at him cautiously, as if planning what to do if the high-spirited boy tried to hug him again.

"Yeah, I'm back."

"What kept you so long? Your sister said you weren't well."

"I wasn't. I had to work some things out."

Tamaki smiled in understanding, and Kai found that it no longer made him want to punch the expression right off the kid's face.

"I heard you stopped by. Did she really invite you back over?"

"Yes indeed!" Tamaki exclaimed. "The whole club should come, I think. Wouldn't that be-"

"Hey… Did you tell them?" Kai asked.

Tamaki looked confused. "Tell who what?"

"Your friends. Did you tell them what you found out about me?"

"Oh, no, of course not. I figured you'd tell them if you felt like it. It's not my secret, after all."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "It's not your secret to tell, but it is your secret to dig up?"

Tamaki's eyes widened, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times.

Kai rolled his eyes, trying to hide a small smile. "You'll catch flies that way, you know." He smacked the blonde's chin up so his mouth would close as he passed. "You should head to class or you'll be late," he called over his shoulder.

Tamaki recovered from his embarrassment and jogged to the taller boy's side. "I'm thinking maybe I should live a little dangerously. What exactly do you do while you wait to be late for class?"

Kai gave Tamaki the most serious look he could muster. "I climb to the second story… from outside. With no harness."

"Uh… Actually, I think I'll pass this time. Plenty of time to live dangerously later!"

Kai smirked when Tamaki was out of sight. _Yah right. Like I would ever do something like that._

-o-O-o-

Host club duties were infinitely more enjoyable now that he could try and relax a little. The only thing he wasn't sure he was ready for was seeing Akani. She didn't seem to be with his group today.

"Oh, Kai, we missed you so much!" squealed Gorgeous.

"What can I say, I'm a free spirit. Sometimes I must simply take care of other matters. But as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"What were you doing?" asked Sweetheart.

Kai winked at her. "Come now, let me retain some of my mystery, or you girls will get tired of me."

There were cries of "no" and "never" and then Kai said, "I'll tell you this: I thought of you often while I was away."

"Oh, I'm so happy!" said Sugar.

"You all made my dreams… sweet." Not that he had dreamt at all.

They erupted into giggles and blushes and he imagined them melting into puddles of pink and yellow goo.

"Kai, have you ever ridden a motorcycle?"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Can't say I have, but I've certainly thought about it."

"Oh! I'd like to see that!" exclaimed Gorgeous.

"My only regret is that if I did get a motorcycle, you lovely ladies wouldn't be able to join me."

"Why?" called one girl.

Kai leaned toward her. "How would I be able to concentrate on the road with your arms around me, Lovely?"

-o-O-o-

Kai left with Tamaki and Kyoya. The twins, Honey, and Mori had already gone. As they were walking, they heard small footsteps start up behind them, and Tamaki glanced over his shoulder. Kai turned around when Tamaki stopped.

"Hello, princess, can we help you?" the blonde boy asked.

Akani met Tamaki's eyes before moving on to Kai's. "I was hoping to speak to Kai."

Tamaki gave Kai a questioning look, and he knew the host club 'king' was asking him if he wanted them to leave the two alone.

Kai nodded. "Sure. I'll see you tomorrow, Suoh."

When both Kyoya and Tamaki turned the corner and were thus out of sight, Akani looked at her shoes. "I'm sorry. I've just wanted to talk to you for so long."

Kai took a few steps toward her and leaned against the wall a few feet away. "I kept asking if I could see you," he said flatly.

She looked up in surprise. "I didn't know. No one ever told me."

Kai shrugged. "I guessed that eventually."

"I know this is so late, but… thank you."

Finally, Kai smiled. "Don't thank me. I'm just glad you're alright."

The girl laughed a slightly nervous laugh. "I suppose we're making up for lost time right now?"

"If you want. I just thought you were thanking me for saving your life."

The nervousness leaked out of her smile. "There's something I had wanted to do when I was little. I was always into stories, and I was certain I was going to have my chance…"

"What is it?"

"This." She walked up to him and kissed his cheek, blushing furiously as she did so.

Kai smiled. "That's not a bad idea you had. Though I think I appreciate it more now than I would have when I was seven."

"Oh really?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Yeah. I probably would have told you to take your cooties back or something. That would have been embarrassing."

Akani laughed. "Well, perhaps things worked out for the best, then."

Kai started walking toward the exit again, looking over his shoulder at her. "We'll see."

-o-O-o-

Kai was exhausted when he got home. Changing his ways was hard work, and he had only begun. It was a new challenge, a new purpose, to find himself again. It was going to take time, hard work, and patience from those around him, but he felt the effort would be worth it.


	9. The Kings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Kings**

_-Two Months Later-_

"Kai!"

Kai dodged the blonde and blue streak that came running at him when he opened the door to music room number three, flinching slightly at the crash as Tamaki collided with a chair instead of his intended target. But the boy should've known better. Kai still didn't quite understand Suoh's actions. _Maybe it's because he's half French…_

He turned and saw Tamaki trying to pull himself out from beneath the chair. Walking over, he held out a hand. "Sorry. Reflex."

Tamaki smiled and laughed. "I'm fine." He took Kai's hand and let him help him up. He brushed himself off and said, "Oh, guess what we're doing today!"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Transforming ourselves into peacocks," he said blandly, smirking slightly.

Tamaki blinked. "No, not today, but Kyoya! Put that on the list, k?"

Kai shook his head, regretting ever saying that. "What is it, Suoh?"

"We're going to dress as rock stars! I found a picture of this group on my desk the other day."

Kai looked from the picture Tamaki held up to Kyoya, and he caught the smile the dark-haired boy tried to hide as he pushed up his glasses. "Did you, now," he murmured, but Tamaki was too busy gushing about the different costumes they had waiting for them to hear him.

-o-O-o-

"Hello, ladies. May a thorn sit down amongst the roses?"

There was a chorus of 'yes' throughout the girls and he took his usual seat.

"So, Gorgeous, apart from being beautiful, what do you do in your spare time?" Kai asked Gorgeous.

"Well… I love to read," the blonde girl replied.

Kai grinned. "I like to read, too. And if you were a word on a page, you'd be what they call 'fine print.'"

"You're so dreamy, Kai!" said Sugar.

"And you're sweet; so sweet, I'm surprised you don't melt in the rain."

Sweetheart then took the spotlight. "I just got some new lipstick, Kai. Do you like it?"

"I like it, and I envy it," he answered, looking at her from beneath his dark eyelashes.

-o-O-o-

Akani turned when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She had been at a different club's meeting and had decided to wait for Kai as she usually did on those days.

"Don't you know me from somewhere?" he asked with a wink.

She chuckled. "Hello, Kai. How did it go?"

"Oh, as usual." He leaned against the wall in front of her. "I missed you, though."

"You can do better than that. You are a host, after all."

Kai clutched his chest with one hand. "Ouch, that hurt."

Akani's eyes widened. "My apologies, sir! Please forgive me," she said dramatically.

"Only if you accept my gift." He held out his hand, closed in a loose fist.

Now she looked curious. "What is it?"

He opened his hand, which appeared empty. "It's my breath from when you took it away, Beautiful."

Akani's cheeks darkened just a bit before she threw her head back and laughed. "Much better!"

"So, did you still want to meet Mr. Kaneshiro?"

"Of course. Lead the way."

Kai stuffed his hands in his pockets, and they walked out of the school side by side.

From the music room, Tamaki watched them while Kyoya sat at his computer, typing. "He's growing up so fast," Tamaki said softly.

"Mm," was Kyoya's only response.

"I'm glad he chose to join us."

"Mm."

"It's too bad he'll be leaving us soon."

Then Kyoya looked up. "Why do you say that?"

"That girl. He won't want to be with anyone but her."

Kyoya noted the seriousness on Tamaki's face. "It's not as if you'll never see him again."

"I know. He's family." The blonde boy smiled softly.

"Mm."

The atmosphere shifted suddenly, and Tamaki was back to his usual energetic self. "And of course we'll have to meet this girl formally. Can't let her take one of our own without getting to know her, right?"


	10. The Last Day

**Note: **Well, this is the end! I hope you enjoyed "To Rule The World" and thank you for reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

**The Last Day**

Time didn't stop, even when it felt like it should have. School days came and went, weekends passed in a blur of new activity. For quite some time, Kai was easily tired by all of the goings-on. He would come back from some trip or another that Tamaki had dragged the host club into and collapse on his bed.

Some things didn't change, though. He still didn't get along with the twins or Honey. He and Mori still shared the kind of camaraderie that comes from being bigger or taller than the people around them. They didn't share many words, but they had an unspoken understanding of each other.

As for Kyoya, he seemed to sense the change in his motives. Of course, that didn't mean Kyoya was any more trusting of him, or any friendlier, but he appreciated Kai's intelligence, and found that he enjoyed having conversations with him when he wanted to work something out. They weren't close, but they learned to appreciate the other's company.

Not long after Tamaki's prediction, he had Kai introduce the hosts to Akani. Tamaki approved, though when he told Kai that he was allowed to court her, the other boy wasn't too pleased, telling Tamaki that it was none of his business. Tamaki just laughed. Kai was his most rebellious subject, after all.

Kai's friendship with Tamaki only grew stronger, and though he would never say aloud that he liked the guy, a few boys at school had already been spotted opening their backpacks to find spoiled food or finding a live crab stuffed in their desk soon after bad-mouthing the leader of the host club.

When the end of the year approached, Kai told Tamaki that he wouldn't be returning to host club duties the next year. Tamaki managed to lament for a good fifteen minutes, never giving Kai a hint that he had been expecting it.

Over the summer, Tamaki and some of the other hosts would drag him along somewhere or pop into Mr. Kaneshiro's restaurant, where he helped out. When school started again, Kai, Tamaki, Kyoya, and Akani would hang out before class and during the breaks they had. Tamaki would lead Kyoya and Akani away when class was about to start, talking constantly to Akani all the way. Kai didn't bother being annoyed with him. Someday soon, Tamaki would meet someone and then Kai could repay the blonde boy. Just before the bell rang, a girl with messy-looking hair, glasses, and street clothes walked up to him. He almost mistook her for a boy.

"Hello, I'm new here, and I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of this room…" She showed him a piece of paper.

"Sure." Kai quickly gave her directions. "What's your name?"

"Haruhi Fujioka." She jumped with a desperate exclamation when the final bell sounded.

Kai laughed. "Welcome to Ouran, where we try and lose our new students as soon as possible. You better get going."

"Thanks!" Haruhi called as she ran off, a little frantically. Kai walked at his own pace; the bell didn't bother him.

After all, Kai Takara was still always late to class. Always.


End file.
